Fine-gold amalgamator.



Patented Feb. 25', |902,

- M. L'ASSWELL.

FINE GOLD A'MALGAMATOR.

(Application filed Jau. 25, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN LASSVELL, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- TI-IIRDS TO E. T. HILL AND EUGENE DENZEL, OF SPOKANE, WASH INGTON.

FINE-GOLD AMALGAMATOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N o. 694,290, dated February 25, 1902.

Application tiled January 25, 1901. Serial No. 44,733. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it 4known that I, MARTIN LAsswELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of 5 Vashington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fine-Gold Amalgamators,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fine-gold amalgamators; and the object in view is to pro- Io vide an amalgamating apparatus consisting of a series of stationary receptacles or containers providing mercury-chambers at the base thereof and having a siphon connection with each other and arranged in steps on successively lower levels from the receiving toward the discharging end of the apparatus. In connection with each of the receptacles or containers I employ a series of spiral-shaped amalgamating-plates whereby mineral-bearzo ing sand or other material passing through the amalgamator under natural pressure is brought onto the surface of the mercury and the values retained as amalgam with the float-gold deposited on spiral-shaped amalga- The water under natural pressure or by its own gravity is conveyed to each container by means of a pipe having a deiiected or angular extremity or nozzle discharging laterally over Ithe surface of .the

3o mercury in the oppositedirection to which the water flows over the mercury, which prevents the water from breaking up the mercury, while at the same time enabling the sand and mineral-bearing materials to be thoroughly 3 5 agitated, so as to cause the float-'gold to adhere to the amalgam-plates as it rises or falls. By reason of the arrangement hereinafter set forth the water and gravel or mineral-bearing sand are caused to pass over the amalgam 4o and amalgam-plates a plurality of times within each receptacle, any number of which may be employed. Y The amalgamator hereinafter described may be used either separately from and independently of a quartz-mill, or it may constitute an attachment for a quartz-mill.

The invention consists in a fine-gold amalgamator embodying certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement 5o of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illusf trated in the drawings, and incorporated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side elevation, partly in section, of an amalgamator constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through one end of one of the adjustable standards, showing also the manner of fastening the same to the shell of the container,. dto. V

Similar nu merals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the present invention I employ a series of stationary receptacles or containers l, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Any number of such receptacles or containers may be employed without departing from the spirit of this invention, and they are arranged in a stepped series, the initial or primary container being arranged at the highest level and the remainin gcontainers being arranged at successively lower levels, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l.

As each receptacle or container is a counterpart of all the others, it will only be necessary to enter into a description of one of said containers. Each container comprises a shell or casing 6, having a conical-shaped bottom 7, the lowest point of which is arranged centrally of the container and provided with a draw-off or discharge nozzle 8, provided with asuitable valve, (not shown,) by means of which the amalgam and other material contained within the receptacle may be withdrawn Whenever desirable.

9 represents the inlet-pipe, through which water and mineral-bearing sand, dac., are introduced into the container. Said inlet-pipe has its lower end deflected or extended at an angle to form an angular or curved dischargenozzle 10, whose outlet is disposed atan angle of approximately forty-five degrees to the inlet-pipe toward the wall of the receptacle or set from the receptacle or container. Said lateral extension-chamber receives the material as it is introduced and prevents the same from coming in violent Contact with the inercury, which would result inA agit-atingv and breaking up the mercury.

The nozzle is preferably formed separately from the main body of the inlet-pipe 9 and is secured thereto by means of abutting flanges 12. The pipe 9 is' also provided at its opposite end with a flange 13, by means of which it is secured to the top 14of the container, and the outlying section of the inlet-pipe is correspondingly flanged at 16 for facilitating its attachment to the container.

The upper end of the section 15 is provided with a flaring mouth 17,Which is flanged, as at 18, to facilitate the attachment thereto of a suitable hopper 19, which is obstructed by a sieve or strainer 20, upon which the gravel or mineral-bearing sand is deposited, said material being conducted thereto by means of a trough or chute 2l, leading from the quartz-mill or other source of supply. y

Connected with each container is an outlet Siphon-pipe 22, the lower end of which is disposed at a higher level than the discharge end of the inlet-pipe 9. The outlet-pipe is also made up of flanged sections, the same as the inlet-pipe, and comprises a connecting portion 23, which extends from one container to the other and acts to Siphon the contents of one container into the adjoining container by reason of the fact that the discharge end of said pipe is at a lower level than the receiving end thereof, as Will be noted in the sectional part of Fig. 1.

24 designates an air-pipe which leads upward from the top of each container.

Mounted within each container is a series of removable adjustable standards 25, each of which is preferably composed of a wooden core 26, incased within a corrugated jacket 27 of silverplate coated with Quicksilver. Within the opposite ends of each removable standard isv inserted a fixed nut 28, with which an adj usting-screw 29 cooperates, the wooden core 26 being provided with a longitudinal bore 30 to receive said screw, as illustrated in'Fig. 2. The outer end of the screw 29 is received in a bearing-socket 31 in the casing or shell of the container, as shown in Fig. 2, and each of the adjusting-screws is provided with a head 32, by means of which the screw may be rotated for releasing or securing the standard 25, as may be required. The inlet and outlet pipes of each container are also provided with spiral-shaped amalgamatingplates 33, which encircle the said pipes and serve to collect the flour-gold in its passage through and its agitation within the container. Each container is also provided With a manhole provided with an hermeticallysealed cover or door 34, and the containers are also provided at opposite sides with lifting-handles 35, by means of which the sev- `eral containers may be shifted about in setting up the machine, 85o. `v

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by the particular arrangement of the inlet-pipe and in connection with the offset'portion of the casing of the container the water and Vmineral-bearing sand or. material are introduced into the container laterally' over the surface of the mercury Without breaking up the quicksilver, which would otherwise result in losing both the quicksilver and gold; also, that the material is caused to pass a number of times up and down over the amalgam-plates Within each container, any number of which may be employed. The machine is particularly designed for treating flour-gold, but may be employed as an attachment for quartz-mills.

As the water, sand, and gravel pass laterally out of the curved lower end of the inletpipe they flow against the Wall of'a container and, rebounding, pass over the surface of the mercury, then rise gradually up past the cylinders and spirally-an ged pipes until the container becomes full of Water, sand, and gravel. Then it rebounds from the top by the force of the water, sand, and gravel under the contents of the container, which causes the contents to rebound and pass downward past the cylinders and spirally-tlanged pipes and depositing the water, sand, and gravel on the quicksilver at the base of the container, which makes four times that the sand, water, and gravel have passed the cylinders and spirally-anged pipes, and then passes ont through the Siphon-pipe into the next container, repeating the movement therein.

I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction hereinabove set forth, but reserve the right to change, modify, or vary the construction within the scope of this invention.

Having thus ldescribed the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

l. A fine-gold amalgamator comprising a stationary container having a sloping bottom which provides a mercury-chamber in the base thereof, an inlet-pipe provided with a curved nozzle adapted to discharge water, sand and gravel laterally in one direction against the wall of the container above the surface of the mercury so as to cause the water, sand, and gravel to rebound in the opposite direction over the surface of the mercury avoiding agitation of the latter, an outlet-pipe, and spiralamalgam-plates encircling the inlet and outlet pipes.

2. A line-gold amalgamator comprising a stationary container having a lateral eXtension-chamber, and a sloping bottom which provides a mercury-chamber in the base thereof, an inlet-pipe provided with acurved noz- Zle adapted to discharge water, sand, and gravel laterally in one direction against the wall of the extension-chamber above the sur- IOO IIC

face' of the mercury so as to cause the water, gam-plates encircling the inlet and outlet sand, and gravel to rebound in the opposite pipes, and removable standards each having direction over the surface of the mercury a corrugated jacket coated with silver-plate avoiding agitation of the latter,.an outlett* andu'quicksilver. A I5 5 pipe,andspira1amalgam-platesencirclingthe In testimony whereof I afx my signature inlet and outlet pipes. in presence of tWo Witnesses.

3. A fine-gold amalgamator comprising a stationary container having a sloping bottom which provides a mercury-chamber in the Witnesses:

1o base thereof, an inlet-pipe provided withV a J. S. LICHTY,

discharge-nozzle, an outlet-pipe, spiral amal- Y GAVIN JOHNSTON.

MARTIN LASS'VVELL 

